NFL All-Rookie Team

[newton_tom_cat]

Some pretty darn good players on this list. Shows that rookies can make strong contributions right away. Bodes well for our #1 pick, particularly if we can find another Joe Thomas, Patrick Willis or Adrian Peterson :cool3:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story;jsess...0d5d805a3016&template=with-video&confirm=true

 

[Crazyeechrispats1]

What bothers me is there seems to be 2 players missing on that list both play for a certain new england team, and were chosen in the 2nd and 4th rounds of the draft.
Have no idea how they didn't make the team!

 

[Fondantf]

Some pretty darn good players on this list. Shows that rookies can make strong contributions right away. Bodes well for our #1 pick, particularly if we can find another Joe Thomas, Patrick Willis or Adrian Peterson :cool3:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story;jsess...0d5d805a3016&template=with-video&confirm=true

There have been plenty of busts in the 1st round too.
Sometimes the gems are found in later rounds like some QB's taken in the 6th.

I think Joe Thomas was a lock from the get-go.

 

[Brady'sButtBoy]

The one that stings me in this list is Harris. I was big on drafting Meriweather, I was sure he'd be more of an impact player than a dude like Harris so I was fine on passing him up. Well, I have not given up on Meriweather but think how solid our D would look right now with Harris rotating in the ILB position. The Jets D wasn't very good and maybe Harris was part of the problem, I don't know, but he's big and active and seems to like contact - I think he'd have a place on this team.

 

[newton_tom_cat]

The one that stings me in this list is Harris. I was big on drafting Meriweather, I was sure he'd be more of an impact player than a dude like Harris so I was fine on passing him up. Well, I have not given up on Meriweather but think how solid our D would look right now with Harris rotating in the ILB position. The Jets D wasn't very good and maybe Harris was part of the problem, I don't know, but he's big and active and seems to like contact - I think he'd have a place on this team.

agreed, i'd trade for him straight up for Meriweather right now. or for any of our ILBs for that matter

 

[DarrylS]

The one that stings me in this list is Harris. I was big on drafting Meriweather, I was sure he'd be more of an impact player than a dude like Harris so I was fine on passing him up. Well, I have not given up on Meriweather but think how solid our D would look right now with Harris rotating in the ILB position. The Jets D wasn't very good and maybe Harris was part of the problem, I don't know, but he's big and active and seems to like contact - I think he'd have a place on this team.

But do you think he would have had to develop as fast as he has in this system?? I suspect that no matter what he would have fit into this system, fight for playing time and this system does not lend itself well to statisics. Who would you exclude to add him Seau?? Bruschi?? Thomas?? As good as he seems, he might have been just another rookie on the Patriots.

 

[newton_tom_cat]

But do you think he would have had to develop as fast as he has in this system?? I suspect that no matter what he would have fit into this system, fight for playing time and this system does not lend itself well to statisics. Who would you exclude to add him Seau?? Bruschi?? Thomas?? As good as he seems, he might have been just another rookie on the Patriots.

all of the above: bruschi is an average LB at best now, Seau as a filler actually out plays him, and thomas as I called it has been a disappointment. give billick credit for one thing, he did know which FA's to let get away

 

[scout]

all of the above: bruschi is an average LB at best now, Seau as a filler actually out plays him, and thomas as I called it has been a disappointment. give billick credit for one thing, he did know which FA's to let get away

Billick was fired yesterday.

 

[newton_tom_cat]

Billick was fired yesterday.

we know that

 

[MetalBleachers]

Billick was fired yesterday.

Sorry, that totally cracked me up.

I'd replace Alexander with Harris and then have Harris rotate in to the two MLB spots w/ Bruschi and Seau. In terms of Harris knowing the defense, are we forgetting where Mangini's D came from?

 

[newton_tom_cat]

In terms of Harris knowing the defense, are we forgetting where Mangini's D came from?

exactly, mangini hasn't had an original football thought in his life.

 

[DaedalusX]

all of the above: bruschi is an average LB at best now, Seau as a filler actually out plays him, and thomas as I called it has been a disappointment. give billick credit for one thing, he did know which FA's to let get away

Letting go of Adalius Thomas was extremely foolish on the part of the Ravens and you only need to look at the drop in pressure they've been able to bring, even when fully healthy, as evidence.

That Billick also cut Derek Anderson, and kept Boller for all of these years, in and of itself nullifies any argument that Billick knows anything about personnel. He's been blessed with one of the most talented defenses in NFL history -- talented enough that it could carry his sorry offense to and through the super bowl -- and even that started to bleed this year.

Billick deserves credit for nothing.

 

[newton_tom_cat]

Letting go of Adalius Thomas was extremely foolish on the part of the Ravens and you only need to look at the drop in pressure they've been able to bring, even when fully healthy, as evidence.

That Billick also cut Derek Anderson, and kept Boller for all of these years, in and of itself nullifies any argument that Billick knows anything about personnel. He's been blessed with one of the most talented defenses in NFL history -- talented enough that it could carry his sorry offense to and through the super bowl -- and even that started to bleed this year.

Billick deserves credit for nothing.

thomas sack total in NE was a bit more than half what it was in Balt. he was the beneficiary of a strong ravens defense, not the maker of it. anyone who saw him in NE this season w/ a clue knows that. i saw an analysis showing Baltimore's defensive free agents performed the worst when they went to other teams. never said he had a clue about anything else, but give credit where credit is due

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

I think that we might want to hold off on that Merriweather is a bust talk. He seems to be coming around, it is hard to play all out defense when you are thinking about what your assignment is. I think that he is starting to catch on to the defense. You alos have to remember that the Pats cahnge their entire defensive scheme each week, so it is not like he only has to learn one system, he has to learn 16 of them.

Merriweather made almost every special teams tackle (except that kickoff return for a TD) last week. He made a solid stick the weel before. He should have at least 3 INTs that he simpley dropped (their is a reason fast guys like him play defense).

I was all for drafting Harris, and thought that he would be a good fit for the Pats system. But the Jets took him at #47, and the Pats only had picks at #27 and then #91, so they just were not in position to pick him.

Does anyone want to trade back what the Pats got for their 2007 picks?
1st round (#27) (#7 pick this year)
2nd & 7th rounds (Welker)
3rd round (#91) (pick #68 this year)
4th round (some guy named Moss)

If anyone had a better draft than that, I'd like to see it!

 

[Cannon Arm]

Billick was fired yesterday.

Yeah, because he told Ravens fans he knew quarterbacks, when he got the job, and never got around to finding one to play for the Ravens.

That has nothing to do with keeping Thomas around or not.

 

[Cannon Arm]

I think that we might want to hold off on that Merriweather is a bust talk. He seems to be coming around, it is hard to play all out defense when you are thinking about what your assignment is. I think that he is starting to catch on to the defense. You alos have to remember that the Pats cahnge their entire defensive scheme each week, so it is not like he only has to learn one system, he has to learn 16 of them.

Merriweather made almost every special teams tackle (except that kickoff return for a TD) last week. He made a solid stick the weel before. He should have at least 3 INTs that he simpley dropped (their is a reason fast guys like him play defense).

I was all for drafting Harris, and thought that he would be a good fit for the Pats system. But the Jets took him at #47, and the Pats only had picks at #27 and then #91, so they just were not in position to pick him.

Does anyone want to trade back what the Pats got for their 2007 picks?
1st round (#27) (#7 pick this year)
2nd & 7th rounds (Welker)
3rd round (#91) (pick #68 this year)
4th round (some guy named Moss)

If anyone had a better draft than that, I'd like to see it!

You're assuming the Pats couldn't have traded into the 40s and grabbed him just before the Jets did.

 

[DaedalusX]

thomas sack total in NE was a bit more than half what it was in Balt.

His strength at Baltimore was that he allowed Bart Scott and Terrell Suggs to collapse the pocket while protecting the middle of the field with the speed of a CB and the strength of a LB. Sack figures are misleading for what he was used for.

he was the beneficiary of a strong ravens defense, not the maker of it. anyone who saw him in NE this season w/ a clue knows that.

You're using his output with NE to state that he wasn't an integral part of a Ravens defense when the Ravens defense very blatantly lost a step early this season, even fully healthy? Your argument makes no sense.

i saw an analysis showing Baltimore's defensive free agents performed the worst when they went to other teams. never said he had a clue about anything else, but give credit where credit is due

Link to or reference from this analysis, or it didn't happen. Your word simply isn't good enough.

 

[bradmahn]

You're assuming the Pats couldn't have traded into the 40s and grabbed him just before the Jets did.

To move into the forties you'd have to give up something from the list FTD made, or something from this year's draft (like a first round pick). Do you want to send pick 91 and a fourth rounder to some team to move into the first half of the second round and pick David Harris or would you rather have Randy Moss, Oakland's third this year and a 16-0 record?

Meriweather is a rookie; one season does not make a career. Hold off judgment.

Regarding the acquisition of Adalius and the decision by the Ravens to let him go: the Ravens wanted to keep him because of what he brought to their defense but simply could not afford to either approach him in free agency or tag him. Sacks are a terrible measure to assess the value of an inside linebacker, which is what Thomas was playing for most of the season. Since his return to the outside he has played well in rushing the passer and in coverage. Without Thomas this team isn't undefeated. I highly doubt David Harris has a huge impact, let alone helping to win multiple games, had he replaced Thomas.

Thomas also finished second on the team in sacks and had six in the final seven games. I'm sure the Ravens are very happy without Thomas and being 5-11, so happy they've fired their entire coaching staff out of joy.

 

[Jimke]

What bothers me is there seems to be 2 players missing on that list both play for a certain new england team, and were chosen in the 2nd and 4th rounds of the draft.
Have no idea how they didn't make the team!

Your reasoning is the justification for a Pats' draft that was the poorest

in recent memory. Three out of nine doesn't cut the mustard. The

Superbowl winners, the Colts, had all nine of their draftees make the

team and an undrafted rookie starts in their defensive line. This

refutes the theory that rookies can't make a good team.

The Pats simply don't seem to want to take the time to develop

young players at linebacker. Thirty eight year old Chad Brown makes their

53 man roster while Justin Rodgers is cut and immediately claimed by

another good team, the Cowboys. I don't know if the Pats can go on

forever without developing at least one young starting linebacker. Relying

on free agency too much is cost prohibitive.

 

[fgssand]

all of the above: bruschi is an average LB at best now, Seau as a filler actually out plays him, and thomas as I called it has been a disappointment. give billick credit for one thing, he did know which FA's to let get away

Am I blinded by 16-0, or, are you overlooking two key contributors on defense that helped lead us to 16-0??

I have to challenge both your statements.....I see Bruschi playing some really good football this year, leading the team in tackles. Is he Bruschi of 2003 or 2004, no, but he is better than "average at best".??

AD has been solid, no linebacker comes into this system and flourishes in year one - he has done a decent job as well. Don't forget, he has been shuffled between two positions and has fought off an injured ankle all year.